Meta

Break in the Brianna Denison Case

Updated – Brianna Denison’s Body Found!
Updated 2-2-08 – America’s Most Wanted will be featuring the Brianna Denison case tonight at 9 p.m. in an effort to bring her home.
Police have also released a composite sketch of what the man may look like. You can see it over at ABC News on the web. Police are calling the man a serial rapist and saying that he may be responsible for four attacks now.

——————————————————————

Update 2-1-08: The Washoe County crime lab has established a link between the Denison case and the sexual assault in December as well as another one in the area in November 2007.

——————————————————————

The Reno Gazette-Journal has been an invaluable source of information on the Brianna Denison case over the last few days. Here are some facts about the suspect:
THE SUSPECT

White male, 28-40 years old.

Long face with a square chin, facial hair about a quarter to a half an inch long below his chin that was soft and not prickly like stubble; brown hair; shaved pubic area.

Slightly taller than 5-foot-6

Firm stomach with an “innie” belly button.

Strong but not overly muscular

No accent when he spoke

No alcohol or cigarettes on his breath; no cologne

He wore a red short-sleeve shirt of a jersey material described as silk/nylon or polyester, with a medium blue neckline and possible embroidery on the upper left breast area. He wore a shirt underneath extended to his wrists.

He wore smooth pants with an elastic waist similar to basketball warmups.

THE VEHICLE

An extended cab pickup or sport-utility vehicle with a dome light above the windshield and a step to get inside.

Floor-mounted, skinny console that opens in front. The LED read-out on the radio was blue and red, the vehicle had cloth seats and an automatic transmission.

A baby shoe was on the front seat floor board, and white pieces of paper about eight and one half by 11 inches with typing on them were on the floorboard of the front seat.

HOW TO HELP

Anyone with information can reach the Reno police hot line at 745-3521, detectives at 334-2115 or Secret Witness at 322-4900.

The family is offering a $100,000 reward for information. Secret Witness is offering a $2,500 reward for anonymous tips that lead to an arrest and prosecution.

PREVIOUS UNR-AREA ATTACKS

About 5 p.m. Nov. 13, a 21-year-old UNR student was walking to her home and was in the parking lot of her apartment complex in the 400 block of College Drive when a man grabbed her and fondled her. He ran away after she kicked him and screamed.

About 2 a.m., Dec. 16, a 22-year-old UNR student was walking to her apartment in the 1400 block of North Virginia Street when a man grabbed her from behind and rendered her unconscious. She woke up inside his pickup and was forced to commit a sexual act on him before he drove her home.

Head over to the Reno Gazette-Journal for more information as well as online chat about the case.
This video was released by CBS this morning…

I can certainly see why students in the area are still worried. Police are concerned that if not caught, the kidnapper will strike again.
CBS news is reporting a break in the case of missing Brianna Denison and according to the blurb that was attached to the video they are closing in on a suspect. Julie Chen spoke with Brianna’s mother, grandfather and Commander Ron Holladay of the Reno Police Department.

In reality it doesn’t seem to be much more information than I presented quickly last night. They do seem to have a better description, provided by one of the other sexual assault victims, but shouldn’t they have already had this information from December?
There’s nothing new over at the Reno Gazette-Journal other than this story about two volunteer groups helping out in the search for Brianna. They have been right on top of the story and as soon as there is another break in the case I would expect to see it here.
I also came across this video from the Associated Press which gives a general description of the suspect that Police are looking for.